Coating dispenser



March 30, 1954 D ROB|NSQN 2,673,362

COATING DISPENSER Filed Aug. 25, 1949 JNVENToR.

Patented Mar. 30, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

This invention relates to a dispenser and more particularly to a disposable dispenser including means whereby a viscous fluid may be spread from the dispenser onto a surface to be coated.

Many millions of dollars are spent every year by millions of American women for cosmetics, thus establishing the cosmetic industry as one of great importance. Many cosmetics are in nearly universal use and among these are the various nail polishes or lacquers. It is the general practice to merchandise nail polish in small bottles. These bottles generally have brushes depending from the caps, and polish is applied to the nails by removing the cap, dipping the brush into the polish and spreading the polish on the nails. Many disadvantages are attendant upon the use of nail polish in such bottles. While the polish is being applied, the cap is necessarily removed from the bottle and the consequent evaporation of solvent causes the polish in the bottle to thicken and usually become useless before the bottle is completely exhausted. Fur-- thermore, a certain amount of polish or lacquer is generaly spilled about the neck of the bottle, and this often cements the cap to the bottle so securely that the bottle and remaining polish must be discarded. When the cap is not so cemented to the top of the bottle, it is likely to come loose when carried in a purse, causing the contents of the purse to be ruined by spilled polish or lacquer.

A level, immobile surface on which to place the bottle is a prerequisite for the application of nail polish by a brush from a bottle. In moving vehicles, such as automobiles, it is practically impossible to apply nail polish, as no such surface is present and the bottle must be held in one hand and the brush in the other. The nails on the hand holding the bottle are not properly positioned for the application of polish while holding the bottle and unless extreme diligence is exercised, the hand is apt to be unconsciously tipped to a more facile position, which results in spilling the polish on clothing or on the upholstery of the automobile.

The primary object of this invention is to obviate these and other diiiiculties attendant upon the application of nail polish.

To achieve this object, I have provided a flexible container for nail polish. This container has projecting from it a brush contained in a hollow shaft. The shaft has adjacent its extremity a collar partialy surrounding the brush and transverse holes are provided in the shaft and covered by the collar. -When the iexible container 2 is compressed by squeezing on it, the nail polish is forced through the hollow shaft, through the transverse holes in the shaft, and between the shaft and collar to completely surround the outside of the brush. It is necessary that the polish must be introduced along the outside of the brush, as the polish is so viscous that it would not suiciently penetrate the bristles if introduced from the inside of the brush and a poor streaked coating on the nger nail would result. To preclude accidental discharge of nail polish, valve means are provided which, in the form chosen for illustration, are actuated by rotating the brush and collar. To prevent evaporation of polish remaining on the brush after a nail-coating operation, which would render the brush stiff and virtually useless, I have provided an air-tight cap which has located within it a wad of cotton or the like saturated in solvent to saturate the air in the cap with solvent vapor and keep the brush soft. Although other constructions are possible, I prefer to make my resilient container of translucent plastic so that the quantity of polish remaining may be readily ascertained at a glance.

It is contemplated that a very attractive display could be made by printing or stamping the color of the polish or the manufacturers name on the body portion in some color contrasting nicely with the color of the nail polish. Various portions of the dispenser could be made of diiferent colored plastics and could be opaque as well as translucent, it being understood that the broad deiinition of translucent also includes transparent.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of my dispenser in closed position;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing my dispenser with the parts in operative position;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view along the axis of my dispenser;

Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing the several parts of my dispenser;

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view along the line 5-5 of Fig. 3 showing the valve in open position; n

Fig. 6 is a view similar to- Fig. 5 showing the valve in closed position;

Fig. 7 is a cross sectional View taken along the line I-'l in Fig. 3;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view partially in section showing the applicator portion as polish is about to be applied;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary longitudinal view partially in section showing a modification of my invention; and

Fig. 10 is a sectional View taken along the line Iii-I4 in Fig. 9.

As may be seen in Fig. l, my dispenser I2 displays a very attractive appearance in closed position, being scarcely larger than a lipstick. IThe dispenser comprises a body or container portion i4 closed at one end by a plug I6 secured to it in any suitable fashion. This plug may be either solid or hollow and could be formed integral with the container portion, but I prefer to have it separate so that it may be applied after the dispenser has been completely assembled and filled. The container portion I4 is preferably constructed of flexible, resilient plastic material and is preferably translucent. The end of the container opposite the closure member or plug I is closed by a cylindrical member I8. The end of Ythe container I4 abuts against a raised collar 2G on the cylindrical member I8 and is secured to the cylindrical member by any desired means. rEhe cylindrical member I8 is provided with a hollow neck portion '22 extending into the interior of the container i4. A hollow shaft 24 is secured within an axial bore in the cylindrical member I8 by means of a plug 2S secured within its end in any suitable fashion.

Cooperating transverse apertures 28 and 353 in the neck and shaft, respectively, provide for the introduction of fluidffrom the container I4 into the shaft when the holes are aligned but preclude such flow when the holes are not aligned.

The'opposite end of the shaft has a brush 32 secured withinV it by any desirable means. A collar 34 ts over the shaft 24 and is secured to it in any suitable manner so as to rotate therewith and to prevent axial movement of the shaft relative to the cylindricalA member I8. Most of the collar has an internal diameter somewhat larger than that of theV shaft 24, as is indicated at 35, this portion encompassing the extremity of the shaft and a portion of the brush. Radial apertures 38 are provided adjacent the end of the shaft. As may be seen in Fig. 2, a mark 40 is provided which is to be aligned with a mark of the same color 42 on the front surface of the cylindrical member i8 toindicate when the valve is in open position. A second mark 44 is provided on the front face of the cylindrical member I8 of a different color and when the mark 4B is aligned with the mark 44, the valve is in closed position. To prevent evaporation of nail polish from the brush after a coating operation, a cap 43 is provided which slips over the end of the cylindrical member I8 and abuts against the collar 2li. A wad of cotton or the like is located within a closed end of the cap, saturated with the same solvent used in the nail polish so that the air in thecap will be saturated and evaporation from the .brush will be impossible.

Normally, the nail polish dispenser is in the closed position shown in Fig. 1. The marks 48 and 4d are maintained in aligned position so that the transverse apertures 28 and 3U constituting the valve are at right angles, as shown in Fig. 6, and the valve is in closed position. To use the dispenser the cap is removed and is conveniently slipped over the cap or closure member IB. It is not necessary to so position the cap 45, but it is preferable as such positioning prevents evaporation of the solvent from the wad 48. The collar 34, and with it the shaft 24, are then rotated so that the marks 40 and 42 of the same color are aligned. In this position, the apertures 34 and 28 are aligned and the valve is in open position. The container I4 is then squeezed as between the thumb and forenger and nail polish is forced through the aligned apertures 28, 34 through the axial bore in the shaft 24 and out through the apertures 38 into the portion 36 of enlarged diameter of the collar 34 and outwardly along the brush 32 to completely cover it on all sides, as may best be seen in Fig. 8, the nail polish being indicated at 50. When the polish on the exterior of the brush has been applied to one or more finger nails, the dispenser may be tipped so that the brush end is up and pressure is released from the container I4. This allows some Yof the nail polish in the collar 33 and shaft 24 to flow back into the container and allows air to enter the container to replace the nail polish dispensed. The dispenser is then tipped with the brush end down, and the container I4 is squeezed to continue the operation.

In Figs. 9 and l0 is shown a modification of my invention. The container I4, shaft 24, radial apertures 38 and brush 32 are identical with the portions shown in the preceding figures as are other portions which are not shown, although it is not necessary that the plug 26 have a flange to prevent axial movement of the shaft 24 and attached collar. rThe essential difference lies in the collar 52, which in this form is preferably of thin sheet metal. The collar 52 is generally cylindrical in form and has a radial flange portion 54 at one end with an extending peripheral flange portion 55 crimped about an indented portion 58 at the end of the cylindrical member I3. The collar 52 may be rotated relative to the cylindrical portion I8 and causes the shaft 24 to rotate to open the valve through the intermediary of a gasket 60 secured between the collar 52 and the shaft 24. A small aperture 62 is provided in the surface of the radial flange 54 which cooperates with either one of vtwo raised portions 64 and 66 of different colors. When one of these raised portions is exposed through the aperture 62, the valve is in open position, while when the other is exposed, the valve is closed. This construction provides a handy click stop so that it is not necessary to have sufficient light to accurately determine the alignment of the valve positioning indicia.

Although I have shown and described my invention with regard to a dispenser for nail polish, it is apparent that my invention has other applications including those in the cosmetics field such as the dispensing and application of liquid lipstick. In this latter and other applications, different configurations such as a V-shaped body rather than the straight body disclosed might be used in order to keep the air in the container at the top and away from the valve. It is to be understood that the exemplary embodiment shown is for illustrative purposes only and thatI intend my invention to encompass all such embodiments as may fairly fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A dispenser for viscous fluid material comprising a resilient cylindrical container portion of sheet material, a hollow' shaft extending axially from and rotatably mounted in said container portion, radial apertures in said shaft and alignable by rotation of said shaft with xed apertures for communicating with fluid in said container, a brush Vsecured within the extending end'of said hollow shaft, substantially radial apertures in said shaft adjacent said brush, and a collar having a portion of internal diameter larger than the diameter of said shaft overlying the apertured portion of said shaft and a portion of said brush to direct viscous fluid material transmitted through said shaft in response to deformation of said container portion along the exterior of said brush, said collar being spaced from said brush to insure an even coating of said brush with said viscous fluid material.

2. A dispenser for viscous uid material comprising a resilient container portion of sheet material, a hollow shaft extending from said container portion, means defining a plurality of xed apertures in said container portion surrounding said shaft, a plurality of radial apertures in said shaft and alignable by rotation of said shaft with said xed apertures for establishing fluid communication between said container portion and the interior of said shaft, a brush secured at the extending end of said hollow shaft, said hollow shaft having substantially radial apertures adjacent said brush, and a collar having a portion of internal diameter larger than the diameter of said shaft and overlying a portion of said brush and the apertured portion of the shaft adjacent the brush to direct viscous uid material transmitted through said shaft from said container portion in response to deformation of said container portion along the exterior of said brush, said collar being spaced from said brush to insure an even coating of said brush with said viscous fluid material.

3. A dispenser as set forth in claim 2 wherein the means defining the fixed apertures comprises a cylindrical boss extending into said container and concentric about said shaft.

4. A dispenser as set forth in claim 3 and further including a plug secured within the inner end of said hollow shaft and having a flange extending radially outwardly therefrom over the end of said cylindrical boss for retaining said hollow shaft in position.

5. A dispenser for viscous fluid material comprising a resilient cylindrical container portion l' of sheet material, a brush, an elongated hollow shaft holding said brush at one end in a position extending axially therefrom and having radial openings adjacent both ends, means providing closure of said radial openings thereby controlling the transmission of iiuid material through said openings, means forming an annular space communicable with said openings at the brush end of the shaft comprising a cylindrical sleeve concentric with said shaft and brush and spaced uniformly outwardly from said shaft and brush leaving said annular space about said shaft and brush for even distribution of viscous fluid material on the outside surface of said brush, said container being resiliently deformable so that fluid is expelled from the container through the hollow shaft and the annular space to the brush when pressure is applied to the walls of the container and drawn back into the container from the annular space and hollow shaft on release of the pressure.

DAVID ROBINSON.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 145,301 Lapham Deo. 9, 1873 193,381 Newton July 24, 1877 307,877 Stevens Nov. 11, 1884 717,251 McMillan Dec. 30, 1902 825,448 Farron July 10, 1906 905,986 Cole Dec. 8, 1908 950,483 Howe Mar. 1, 1910 1,030,137 Smith June 18, 1912 1,309,900 MacCorkell July 15, 1919 1,413,311 Auld Apr. 18, 1922 1,646,324 Stewart Oct. 18, 1927 1,733,144 Walker Oct. 29, 1929 1,857,027 Mah May 3, 1932 1,859,108 Nadoolman May 17, 1932 2,104,651 Hoffman Jan. 4, 1938 2,318,635 Salinger May 11, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 484,083 Great Britain May 2, 1938 

